Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  Trailin Blazer - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By "Trailin Blazer" - August 15 - 7:23 pm

  Its all in the name. I just bought this vehicle (my 1st Chevy or GM product) and everything about the way this car screams cruising. Yes it has the horses but it takes forever to get up there. The car does not accelerate. Its like being dragged out of bed to go to school when we were kids. It starts off VRRRRRR (do I really have to?) RRRROOOM. Once it gets there, its cruisin. This vehicle is for cruising only and its great for that purpose only. I have the EXT version LS equipped with the basics. Its about as long as a SUV can get. I was surprised at the horsepower this thing has. After owning nothing but foreign SUVs, this GM product has changed my thinking about domestic products.

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  Great Deal - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By kansasdriver - August 15 - 7:08 pm

  We have had no trouble with this car. It was a one-owner lease, bought by the dealer for sale. The price was quite competitive. We are very pleased with all aspects of the car.

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  Good truck - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By John - August 15 - 5:23 pm

  Excellent in 4x4, like the push button as opposed to floor mount gear. Should come with spray in liner as option. Wish mine had air vents in back seat to force cold and hot air. Rear window defrost should be an option too. Love my truck.

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  2005 Chev Duramax - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Richard - August 15 - 2:53 pm

  Having driven 1/2 tons for several years this is my first HD and I consider a "real truck". Very comfortable for the family and we dont even notice the sound of the Duramax listening to XM on my bose speakers. Love towing our 5th. wheel and recently did a long vacation trip through 4 states. Kind of reassuring having been approached many times by "old timers" just to tell me what an awesome tow vehicle we have. Have not had any problems in the first year and look for many more to come. (former Dodge truck owner).

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  2000 blazer - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By lavanah - August 15 - 1:02 pm

  It is in the shop for a lot of repairs. Bells and whistles means there is a lot to break. The tranny is gone at 113,000 and I have a porous engine block.

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  Big bang for your hard earned buck - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By SEarly - August 15 - 11:10 am

  I wanted an efficient commuter car that was good on gas since I drive 64 miles round trip. Cheap to run, so I would not feel guilty about racking up excessive mileage. I have to say that I have been very pleased with this vehicle, especially when I factor in the extras and what I paid for it. I got my car out the door for around $11K w/taxes and fees. Decent performing with very low maintenance cost. I have been very satisfied with the engine and transmissions performance compared to the Honda Civic & Ford Focus with slightly smaller engine C.U.s

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  Cobalt LS 4door - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By RunnerBee - August 15 - 6:33 am

  Great little car for the price. No problems after 7 mos. ownership. Handles well; excellent acceleration for a small engine--keeps up with the bigger vehicles on the freeways with no problem. For a basic affordable vehicle with no frills (i.e. manual locks & windows) its a good choice. So far Ive only had one small problem with a rear door lock.

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  Reliable - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CM - August 14 - 9:58 pm

  This car is really great. I bought it new with only 15 miles on it. Since then, I have driven back and forth with it adding many miles on it within the four years that I have owned it. I average 20,000 miles a year. Most of those are freeway miles. Ive had to repair my brakes twice. Once at about 40,000 miles and the second at about 80,000. Other than tire rotations and oil changes I have not needed to do any other repairs. I have been hit twice in this car. Both times it was my front bumper that took the damage. The other drivers have been at fault and my bumper only suffered a crack in the middle of the bumper. There was no interior damage in either accident. The bumpers are really tough

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  timJoan - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Tim Renelt - August 14 - 3:55 pm

  Excellent SUV, very comfortable with good gas mileage. Transmission/engine occasionally over revs when first started. Chevrolet needs to reduce wind noise.

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  Trailblazer Problems - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Big B - August 14 - 1:44 pm

  We bought our Trailblazer new, after hearing great things about it, and how it did not have the problems the Blazer was known for (electrical problems,etc.). We are pleased with the handling, performance and comfort, but very dissapointed with the electrical problems we are already having. The wire harness running under the rear seats has worn through. The airconditioner works erratically. Anyone that owns one can tell you of the multilple recall notices regarding brake problems as well as a permanent recall on the rear taillights (burn out continuosly). Our Trailblazer is up for sale... I think I am going back to Nissan or Toyota.